Officials urge continued conservation as $200 million pipeline upgrade continues
National Park Service officials said Tuesday that they expect to restore a reliable water supply to the Grand Canyon in weeks rather than months, telling reporters that the deadly flash flood did not damage most of a near-complete pipeline upgrade project.
Park officials said construction of a temporary water intake that matches the park’s pre-flood pumping capacity will start this week. The intake is a stopgap while the agency continues work on the more than $200 million repair and upgrade of the Transcanyon Waterline, the sole pipeline serving the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
The 12.5-mile-long pipeline supplied water for millions of visitors to the South Rim and about 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village. Before the floods, officials said the project would ensure the park can meet its water-supply needs for the next 50 years or more.
Before the floods struck, officials said they were just over a month away from completing the major upgrade. The pipeline itself did not sustain significant damage from the flooding, according to park officials.
Park officials continued to encourage both residents and tourists to conserve water as the repair and upgrade project moves forward. The temporary intake is intended to restore the park’s pumping capacity to pre-flood levels while the broader project advances toward completion.